Butte County Biographies
JOHN McKINSTRY SMITH
Transcribed by: Betty Wilson
This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm
was born in Livingston, Columbia county, New York, June 30,
1816, and was the son of Eleazer and Elizabeth (Davis) Smith. Before coming to
California, Mr. Smith followed merchandising at Kingston, Rondout, Catskill and
East Durham, all in New York. He came to California via the isthmus, and landed
in San Francisco June 23, 1850. He went at once to Butte county, the thirtieth
of June, his birthday, being his first day at mining. He mined on the east
branch of the middle fork of the Feather river for some time. In 1852, he
camped on the site he now occupies, and from that time to this it has been his
residence. Since 1852, Mr. Smith has been extensively engaged in quartz-mining,
being one of the first to locate and work the celebrated Banner ledge in Oregon
gulch. Mr. Smith�s life in Butte county has been one of assiduous industry and
intense application to business. He was marred to his first wife before coming
to California, and she died in 1852. In 1857, on the thirtieth of June, he was
united in marriage to Minerva A. Jennings, of Greene county, New York. To them
have been born four daughters�Bessie, Mary, Julia J., and Gertrude. Mr. Smith�s
house is situated on the bank of Feather river, in full view of that noble
stream. He has six hundred and twenty acres of land, well improved. In his
vineyard are six thousand vines, from which he yearly makes three thousand
gallons of wine.
History of Butte County, California: From its Earliest Settlement to the Present
Time - Vol. II - Harry L. Wells & W. L. Chambers - 547 Clay Street, San
Francisco, Cal., 1882.